Multiple motor unit



Nov. 16, 1937.

E. c. EKSTROMER 2,098,958 MULTIPLE MOTORUNIT Filed Aug. 12, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a9 W Z u. 7

u hams a" I BY M aualun-wv J ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1937. E. c. EKSTROMER MULTIPLE MOTOR UNIT Fi-led Aug. 12, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN vE/v TOIi EDWARD C. Emma/v52 BY A TTOBNE v.5

Nov. 16, 1937. E. c. EKSTROMER 2,093,958

MULTIPLE MOTOR UNIT Filed Aug. 12, 1936 I 4 Sheets-Sheet Fig.7,

IN VEN TOE. EDWARD C, E KSTEOMER BY 7Lu-M- 6 W 0 M A TTORN E Y5 NOV. 16, 1937. c, EKSTROMER 2,098,958

MULTIPLE MOTOR UNIT Filed Aug. 12, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 jicyi.

INVEN rota I ATTORNE Y5 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 2,098,958,

UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE- MULTIPLE MOTOR UNIT Edward C. Ekstromer, San Francisco, Calif., as-

, signor to Elcctrolitt Corporation, Reno, Nev.,

a corporation of Nevada Application August 12, 1938, Serial No. 95,557

15 Claims. (Cl. 171-252) This invention relates to multiple motor units all co-operable parts combine to provide a rigid for underground or oil well pumps, and has parstructure of substantially the same flu-in diaticular reference to the class of motor units dismetrically from one end of the structure to the closed in Letters Patent of the United States No. other and almost entirely smooth externally 1,960,484, issued to me on May 29, 1934, and inwhereby to enable the unitto be readily received 5 tended to used in association with the cusin a cylindrical exteriorly smooth protective case tomary r procable' sucker rod of a pumping and easily lowered into or raised from the well equipment. Multiple motor units as disclosed without excessive resistance being oii'ered to its i herein are adapted to be lowered into a well and movement through contact with the walls of the disposed beneath the pump and operatively con well hole; nected with a suitable motion changing mecha- 7. To provide improved means for electrically nism such as the one disclosed in my Patent No. coupling the main circuit conductors and for 1,799,458, April 7, 1931, whereby rotary motion of facilitating coupling and uncoupling of said conthe motor shaft will be converted into recipductors whenever occasion therefor arises;

rocable motion at the sucker rod. 8., To provide zmeans at each end of each rotor 15 Certain-of the more important objects of the shaft for journaling the shaft in its 1 a v r invention are as follows: housing and for sealing lubricant charges within 1. To provide, as distinguished from the struceach of the journal bearings. tural features found in Patent No. 1,960,484, a 9. To provide means by which thebearings can simplified method of connecting thermotor housbe quickly supplied with lubricant from exteno lag sections or shells to each other and for lockriorly of the structure ing them against relative rotational motion; v 10. To provide in a second embodiment of the 2. To provide a multiple motor unit, the motors invention disclosed herein means for urging the of which are of identical construction and co-operable 'or complementary elements of an adapted to be adjusted axially relative to each electrical coupling into good electrical connecas other and then secured together in a manner to tion with each other, automatically during the defeat possible tendency of the motorsto'sepaprocess of moving the motors axially as when rate from each other when subjected to forces coupling the motors to each other; 4 and strains generated when the motors are oper- 11. -To provide, in said second embodiment of sting; the. invention, means by which the respective 30 '3. To provide a' multiple motor unit having plugs and co-acting receptacles for the co-opmeans for securing the motors in coupled relaerable terminals of current conductors can be tion to each other, said means serving in cocompletely connected with the terminals of curactlon with the shaft sections of the respective rent conductors before jamming the motor hous- 36 motors to secure and maintain substantially perings together, the arrangement being such that feet alinement of said shaft sections; j no attention need be paid thereto after the motor 4. To provide novel means by which the parhousings are coupled. ticular rotor shafts employed can be journaled Further objects will appear from the followin their respective housings to insure freedom of ing description, reference being bad to the ac- 40 rotation of the shafts and for effectively resistcompanying drawings, in which 40 mg end thrust, of the shafts, thereby maintain Figure 1 is a partial sectional view showing the ing a constant relationship of the rotors to their details of the motor unit: co-acting stators; Figure 2 is a view partly in vertical section and 5. To provide means in which the entailed partly in elevation of two associated motor end 46 labor required to assemble the motors will be bells showing the means for electrically interappreciably less than was heretofore possible, a connecting the o t e M1101! b61118 l p lfeature made possible by the employment of ex imately on line 2-2 of Figure 1; ceedingly eflective means enabling the motors Figure 3 is a view m in on and par ly to be guided into coupled relation to each other in elevation of the meeting ends of two motor a 50 and thereafter firmly and quickly locked together end bells and the co plin rin for sec nns t m to provide a rigid unit adapted to be readily together in xial raised and lowered'in the well as and when re- Figure-i is a transverse section on line H of quired while maintaining the housings in their Figure 1; intend 1 1 relationship; Figure 5 is a detail section through portions of 8. To pr v d a multiple motor unit in'which two motorhousings showing'themannerdctablishing the phase coupling between the main air-- cult conductors and the current feed strip of one phase of the rotor field;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view oi the polyphase motor stator punching for each motor, and showing one method and/ormanner of conducting the main circuit conductors and the grouping of the respective phases of a three-phase ar-.

onthe line iii-i oi Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line il-li of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line |2--l2 of Figure 10.

In Figure 1 I show a suitable number of motors arranged end to end and adapted to be enclosed in a smooth-walled, cylindrical casing such as the one shown in my prior Patent No. 1,960,484. These motors each include axially alined upper and lower metallic end bells Ill and II, the confronting or open ends of which are formed with portions l2 of reduced diameter, the external surface of each of which is provided with a screw-thread l3. The upper end bell has its head orclosed end machined or stepped to provide a'large diameter concentric boss I5, the fiat face of which provides a ground joint which rests against a corresponding face or wall of the channel IS in the complementary lower end bell ll of the motor just above it. Thus it follows that the end bells are adapted to come in end to end engagement and can be moved axially to provide tight joints between said end bells such as will provide for maximum rigidity of the unit and enable the motors to be rigidly secured together, as intended. Concentric of the exterior threads '1' at the meeting ends of the axially alined motor end bells and co-acting with the reduced threaded surfaces of said end bells are internally threaded coupling rings H as shown clearly in Figure. 3. These rings have right and lefthand threads l8 and t3 and the threads T on the complementary end bells l0 and H are similarly formed so that on turning the rings, the end bells will move axially relative to each other, thus enabling the respectivelystepped and cupped ends of the end bells to seat firmly against each other when the motor unit is fully assembled. Dowel screws 20 (Figure 1) pass through the rings and are extended into tapped semicylindrical openings 21 in respective portions of the meeting ends'of the end bells as shown in Figure 1. The dowel screw heads extend beyond the outer suriace of the motor. end bells and are designed to fit into channels located on the in side of a cylindrical steel housing (notshown) within which the unit is enclosed and serve to keep the motors keyed inplace to prevent rotational movement. The openings 2! can be formed after the rings are fully adjusted on said end bells and before the screws are associated with said rings. It Iollows, from this construction, that the end bells of the respective motors can and will be efiectively secured against any possible relative rotation when the end bells are thus secured together.

Long guiding pins 22 carried by the end hell it are disposed parallel to the axis of the end bell and may enter the openings 23 in the heads of the complementary and bells ID as shown in Figure l.

The end bells ill and II of each of the aforestated'motors are disposed at the respective ends of a polyphase motor 24. These motors each consist of a primary or stator winding 25, the ends of said stators being fitted with collars 26, having threaded connection with the open threaded ends 62 of the complementary end bells Ill and il. Within said stator winding is a rotor 21 with a secondary winding 28 of the squirrel cageinduction type, like the motor-disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,960,484, and has no brushes or sliding contacts which would cause sparking.

Each of the rotors 21 is carried by'a shaft 29, the ends of which are identical. The shaft of each rotor is journaled adjacent to its ends in bearings 30 supported in the respective end bells i0 and H of the motor. of inner and outer concentrically related race members 3! and 32 for bearing balls 33. The bearings 30 of the shafts II are retained in place in the end bells by resilient locking rings 34,

expanded into receiving grooves 35 in said bells. The bearings in the end bells ID are sufliciently like the bearings in the end bells II to require no further description. With respect to each said bearing, it willsufiice to say-that at one side of each thereof and mounted between the race mem- "bers 3i and 32 are felt disks 36, or other suitable lubricant retainers. Spaced apart from the bearings at the opposite sides thereof and mounted in the end bells are similar felt disks 31, or lubricant retainers, the latter-co-acting with the hearings to provide each end bell with a lubricant chamber38 adapted to be supplied with a suitable lubricant through the fittings 39. The intake ends of these fittings are set in recesses 40 in the end bells and, as shown, said recesses are exteriorly exposed from the end bells to enable them to be readily connected with a source of lubricant supply under pressure. I

In Figures 2, 4 and 5, it is noted that the electrical connection between the respective motors, carrying the current from one motor to the adjacent motors, consists of studs 4| passed throughsleeves I! of insulating material in the confronting heads of the motor end bells. The ends of these studs extend beyond said heads and have clamping nuts 43 and 44 between which the terminal ends 45 of the line conductors 46 are firmly secured, the innermost nuts 43 being engaged against the insulating washers or blocks 42a through which the ends of the studs project.

The bearings consist As three phase motors are employed, it follows that three such studs ll are provided-at the gether in a manner precisely the same as described in the first'form or my invention. As the motors are also the same as. first above referred to, no additional description seem nece's- 15 sary. Itwmsumcetosaythatwbentbe bells are initially assembled, they can be axially, thus coupling the aiined shafts ll operatively setting the end bells into firm and exceedingly substantial end to end eminent with each other.

In each form of the invention, the shaft ends are identical. The shafts are formed withsplined tongues ll, disposed relative to each other at the meeting end'faces of the end bells to enable them to be received in the correspondingly shaped axial bore of the freely rotatable shaft coupling sleeve ll, as shown, to enable the sleeves to be removably set therein.

Referring further to Figures '1 and 8 of the Eli drawings, the confronting end bells are providedwith electrical connectors ll, the one end bell having three resilient receptacles ll and the other said end bell having plugs l! engageable in said receptacles. Only one= complete connector is shown in Figure 7, but it is understood that three thereof are provided and related to each other, substantially as shown in Figure 4. Connectors of this type are disposed parallel to the axis of the motor and the plugs 52 are long enough to extend beyond the end of the. motor of which they are a part. thereby enabling the plugs to be readily guided into their complementary receptacles, then forced into good electrical contact with said receptacles as the motors are being rigidly secured together and their shafts operatlvely connected, all of which will be thoroughly understood on reference to Figures 7 and 8. At the places in the end bells where the electrical connectors ll are situated, the end bells are recessed at ll for convenient connection of the line conductors to the binding posts ll and ll, of the respective plug and receptacle elements of said' connectors. It will be noted that inthls form of my invention, the current conductors can be attachedto said receptacle and plug elements before the motors are secured together, a-feature which is not possible with the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive.

Any desired number ofmotors can be coupled together to provide a imit of suitable power for the purpose intended, that is to say, to enable a pump to be operated at any predetermined depth in the ground.

The uppermost motor of the unit employed will, of course, have its shaft coupled to means from which rotary motion can be converted into reciprocal motion at the sucker rod of the pump.

As no claim is made to the pump and in view of.

the fact that in my prior Patent No. 1,799,458, a suitable motion changing mechanism for operating the pump is fully disclosed and described,

such as would enable any person skilled in the art to practice the instant invention, no detail description of the pump or the motion changing means is. made herein.

In the form of 'my invention disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,960,484, it will be observed that the end bells of the motor are bolted together and to enable this to be done, it is required that atleast one endbell of each motor be of greatly reduced external diameter. This did not lend itself to desired strength of the unit as a whole, and did not provide for the best arrangement of shaft bearings. Then, too, it is required that the fastening bolts which connect the end bells together be separately manipulated when the coupling is made. 1

In the form of my invention herein disclosed. the motor unit is substantially of the same diameterfromoneendthereoftotheotherand a unit'of great strength and Furthermore, when the end alined axially, and disposed in tion, the single coupling sleeve II between each pair of motor housingscan be very quickly operated to move the housings into firm engagement with each other. 'Ihen, too, the end bells can be more quickly and accurately alined axially than was possible heretofore. I stress all of the details of construction of the invention, such as provide beyond question and as stated above asturdyunitinwhichallthemotorscanbe moved axially by curvilinear motion imparted toeachoftheringsll. Ilaypartlcularstress alsouponaunitsuchasdisclosedinl 'igures'l and 8, wherein the rings II function in co-action with the electrical couplings ll to bring the elements thereof in excellent electrical contact with each other.

I stress the form, construction and arrange ments of cooperable parts of the unit by means of which the motor shafts operate in co-axlal bearings that can be furnished with lubricant from outside the unit when the unit is removed from a housing (not shown).

A further important feature of the invention is directed to rotary coupling sleeves I! in coaction with motors, the ends of the stators of which have threaded connectionwith the adjacent end bells of the unit.

, It will also be .noted, from the manner of mounting the shaft bearings in the heads of the end bells and by reason of the manner in which the shaft ends are machined, i. e., stepped, that each shaft is held against sliding axially relative vto any other shaft of the series employed. As a direct result of this arrangement-and construction of the parts, the rotors of the motors cannot shift axially relative to their associated stators. Thisisalso importantin thatthecurrent feed wiresareatnotimestremedsuchasmight be detrimental to proper-electrical connections Reference will now be had to Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 showing modified forms of structural and electrical connections between two co-axlal motors A and B, the respective end bells Ila and I'Ia. of the stators "a of which are each provided with a cup portion ll internally threaded for threaded connection with a stator ring lI welded to one code! a cylindrical shell. l2 enclosing the stator Ila. From the portion ll of each end bellextendsatubularneckllterminatingin a flange ll.

. The'fianges ll of the respective end bells Ila and IIa are oppositely threaded externally to threadedly receive the oppositely threaded portions Ila and Ila of a coupling ring Ila whichls locked to the flanges by dowel screws lla, all in the same manner and for the same purpose as described in connection with the first form of the'invention. A concentric boss Ila on one fiange seating in a complementary recess Ila in the other fiange to insure assembling of the end bells in co-axial relationship. Dowel pins ll in thefiangesaidthescrewslla (Figure 12) in locking the end bells against relative circumfertion at its with a coupling sleeve-49c so that the shafts will operate as a unit.

To provide for electrically connecting the line conductors of each phase in series through the coupled motors, and the phase windings of one stator to those of the next, all automatically in response to mechanical coupling of the end bells as above described, the following means is provided. This means includes axially separable connectors one for each line phase conductor and phase winding, so that with three phase current as is considered to be utilized in the present instance, there will be six of such connectors equally spaced around the flanges 65 so as to be supported thereby and insulated therefrom.

The separable connectors each comprise a female member '|ll of tubular form, and a male member H in the form of a plug adapted to be snugly received in the female member. The female-members are provided with threaded shanks 12 extending through openings in a two section terminal ring 13 of insulating material, and are secured to the ring by. nuts ll on the shanks, the sections of the ring being secured to the flange 65 ofithe motor by screws 15 (Figure 12). The male members H are provided with threaded shanks I6 passing through openings in a two-section terminal ring 11 of insulating material, and are secured to the ring by nuts 18 on the shanks 16, the sections of the ring 11 being secured to the flange 65 of the other motor in the same manner as described for the terminal ring 13. v

The female and male connectors as thus supported on the respective flanges 65, extend freely through aline'd openings therein and are enclosed by sleeves 19 of insulating material, the ends of which are received in circular recesses and 8i in the terminal rings 13 and 11, respectively, so as to co-act therewith, in completely insulating the. connectors from all metal parts of the motor assemblies A and B.

As shown in Figure 11, the cup portions 60 of the flanges 65 of the respective motors are provided with three openings 82, one for each line.

phase conductor 83 and stator phase lead 84 through which these elements pass from the respective separable .connectors as, shown in Figure 9, the line conductors passing through slots 85 in the stator laminations to the terminal ring at the other end of the respective motor and the phase leads being connected to the stator windings within the coupled end bells.

In assembling the motors, their end bells and the separable connectors are respectively, connected mechanically and electrically'by a relative axial movement of the motors towards each other so that when the flanges 65' have been brought into abutting relationship 'by rotating the coupling ring "a, and the latter is locked by the screws 20a, the rotor shafts of the twomotors will also be operatively connected.

I claim: I

1. A multiple motor unit for pumps comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation to each other; means'serving to operatively connect one motor to another to enable the combined .energy' developed by all thereof to be transmitted to a mechanism to be driven; and

relation to each other; interengage'able electrical coupling elements on the respective motors; each of said motors including a rotatable shaft, the shafts of said motors being co-axial relative to each other; means for moving the motors axially to dispose them in end to end engagement with each other and for moving the electrical coupling elements in an interengaging direction; and means of which the ends of the motor shafts form parts for operatively connecting said shafts together by moving the motors axially for end to end engagement thereof.

3. A multiple motor unit for underground pumps comprising a plurality of cylindrical motors having shafts co-axially related to each other and operatively connected detachably; and means on adjacent motors including a single rotary coupling member co-operable therewith to relatively move the motors axially, and rigidly secure one motor to another in end to end engagement, whereby themotors unite to provide an elongated rigid body.

. 4. A multiple motor unit comprising coaxially arranged motors; means for threadedly connecting the motors for relative movement axially; means co-actlng with the first means for locking the motors against disconnection; and means by which the combined energy developed by said motors can be delivered from said unit.

5. A multiple motor unit of the class described as comprising a plurality'of coaxially related electric motors, each provided with a driving shaft. couplings at 'the meeting ends of said mo-' tors and having driving-connections with the shaft ends of the adjacent motors; the motors havlngopposltely threaded portions; and a coupling' member co-operable with said portions to 'move said motors axially to maintain rigid end to end engagement of the motors with their shaf ts operatively connected by said couplings.

6. A multiple motor unit including'coaxial; motors having stators the ends of which are interfltting and externally threaded; a rotatable sleeve threaded co-operably with the threaded ends of the stators and adapted to be turned thereon to move the stators axially into end to end engagement with each other; and means for securing the sleeve against rotation such as will prevent axial separation of the stators from each other. I 4

'I. A multiple motor unit including coaxial related motors having end bells; means adjustable circumferentlally of the end bells at the meeting ends thereof for relatively moving the tors to enablethe combined energy of the -mo-- tors to be delivered from the unit; and means on the motors including a member adjustable circumferentially of the-motors at the joinders thereof for moving the motors together and maintaining themrigidly connected.

9. A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors in end to end relation and each of which includesa stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the statonmeans co-acting with the end bells oi the motors to axially advance one motor towards the next by drawing their confronting end bells into rigid engagement so as to unite the plurality of motors into a single elongated and rigid unit; means co-acting with the 'flrst means to lock the motors against disconnection; means for operatively connecting the rotors of the motors to enable the combined energy of the motors to be obtained; and means for electrically connecting the motors for the supply of current thereto.

10. A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation and each of which includes a stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the stator; an end bell of one motor confronting an end bell of the next motor, and said bells being oppositely threaded; a coupling member having oppositely threaded portions co-acting with the corresponding threads of said end bells, to detachably and rigidly secure them together; means for locking the coupling member against unscrewing movement; means for operatively connecting the rotors of the motors toenable the combined energy of the motors to be obtained; and means for supplying current to the motors.

11. A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation and each of which includes a stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the stator; means coacting with the end bells of the motors to axially advance one motor towards the next by. drawing their confronting end bells into rigid engagement so as to unite the plurality of motors into a single elongated and rigid unit; means co-actin'g with the first means to lock the motors against disconnection; means for operatively connecting the rotors of the motors to enable the combined energy of the motors to be obtained; and means for electrically connecting the motors for the supply of current thereto; said last means including two part separable connectors one part of which is supported on the stator or one motor and the other part of which is supported on the stator 01 the next adjacent motor for electrical connection with the first said part in response to relative movements of the motors axially towards each other.

12; A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation and each of which includes a stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the stator; the end bells having cup portions and end flanges spaced from the cup portions; an end flange of one stator confronting an end flange of the next stator, and said flanges being oppositely threaded; a coupling member having oppositely threaded portions coacting with the corresponding threads of said flanges, to detachably and rigidly secure them together; means for locking the coupling member against unscrewing movement; means for operatively connecting the rotors together; and means for supplying current to the motors.

13. A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation and each of which includes a stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the stator; the end bells having cup portions, and end flanges spaced from the cup portions; an end flange of one stator confronting an end flange of the next stator, and said flanges being oppositely threaded; a coupling member having oppositely threaded portions coacting with the corresponding threads of said flanges, to detachably and rigidly secure them to-- gether; means for locking the coupling member against movement; means for operatively connecting the rotors together; axially separable two-part connectors supported by and insulated from said flanges; andconductors leading from the connector parts through the respective end bells to the motors.

14. A multiple motor unit comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relation and each of which includes a stator having end bells and a rotor journaled in the stator; the'end bells having cup portions, and end flanges spaced from the cup portions; an end flange of one stator confronting an end flange of the next stator, and said flanges being oppositely thlreaded; a coupling member having oppositely threaded portions coacting with the corresponding threads of said flanges, to detachably and rigidly secure them together; means for locking the coupling member against unscrewing movement; means for operatively connecting the rotors together; terminal blocks 01' insulating material secured to said flanges; two part separable connectors supported by said blocks, and electrically connectible in response to axial movement of adjacent motors relatively towards each other; and conductors leading from the connector parts through the respective end bells to the motors.

15. A multiple motor unit for pumps comprising a plurality of motors arranged in end to end relationship and having coupling portions concentrically related to their axes; a single coupling member co-operable with said portions of adjacent motors to relatively move the latter into engagement and rigidly secure them together; and means for operatively connecting one motor to another to enable the combined energy of the motors to be utilized.

EDWARD C. EKSTROMER. 

